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O pinion
August 19, 2009
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Rape as a
Tool of War
Congo brutality must stop
by
J udge G reg M athis
Here, in America, when
we hear the word ‘rape’
we think of women being
snatched off the streets
by a stranger or being
forced by a man they
know. But in eastern
Congo, located in Central Af­
rica, rape is used as a tool of
war. Women, girls and, increas­
ingly, men are subject to this
brutal act that damages both the
victim’s body and spirit.
In an unprecedented move.
S e c re ta ry o f S tate H ilary
Clinton visited the area and
pledged $17 million in support
of Congo rape victims. At least
$10 million of the money the
U.S. has pledged will be used
eral resources, politi­
cal co rru p tio n and
tribal and ethnic pride.
R ebel
m ilitia
groups, the govern­
m ent and m ining
companies all wish to
control and exploit
the a re a ’s rich m ineral re ­
sources. Rebels fund their op­
eratio n s by sm uggling d ia ­
monds, copper and other min­
erals so that they can purchase
guns and fuel. Governments are
forced to create military regimes
in mineral rich areas so that they
are protected; these m ilitary
forces are often corrupt, with
little respect for civilians.
The U.S. has paid little atten­
tion to the Congo over the last
Millions have suffered as a
result o f the ongoing war in the
Congo and it will take much more
than the U.S. has pledged to end
the violence.
to train doctors who will treat
rape victims. Much of what is
left will be used to help prevent
the sex attacks.
The U.S. must not only fol­
low through on its pledge, but
it must lead the way and encour­
age other international power­
houses to join forces to end sex
violence in the Congo.
The United Nations consid­
ers eastern Congo the rape capi­
tal of the world, having recorded
close to 200,000 cases of sexual
v io len ce a g a in st g irls and
women in the region since 1996.
The number of cases where men
have been raped has also risen;
workers in the region theorize
that the male rapes are a tool
militia groups use to humiliate
and break the spirits of the Con­
golese people.
The war in the Congo has
been going on for years and is
one o f the longest ongoing
wars in recent decades. The
conflict is rooted in land dis­
putes, a desire to control min-
several years. In 1995, under the
watch of former President Bill
Clinton, we did little in the re­
gion when nearly a million Afri­
cans were slaughtered over the
course of 90 days during a vio­
lent uprising.
Hilary Clinton’s recent visit
to the Congo is a good sign;
she is the first secretary of state
to visit in a decade. In her role,
she must also lobby the inter­
national community, asking that
they too ge, involved.
So many European countries
have benefited from A frica’s
rich resources; they must be­
gin to give back what they have
taken. Millions have suffered as
a result of the ongoing war in
the Congo and it will take much
more than the U.S. has pledged
to end the violence, stabilize the
government and rebuild lives.
Judge Greg Mathis is vice
president o f Rainbow PUSH
and a board member o f the
Southern Christian Leadership
Conference.
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O 2008 T H E P O R T L A N D O B S E R V E R . A L L R IG H T S
R E S E R V E D . R E P R O D U C T IO N IN W H O L E O R IN PA R T W IT H O U T P E R M IS S IO N IS PR O
H IB IT E D . T h e Portland Observer--Oregon's Oldest M ulticu ltu ral P u b licatio n -is a m em ber o f
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tative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc. N ew York, N Y . and The West Coast Black Publishers Asso­
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THE
Righting our Economic Ship
Sharing hope
that the worst
is over
by M arc
H. M oriai .
One of the highlights
o f the National Urban
League's recently con­
cluded annual confer­
ence in C hicago was Vice
President Joe Biden's keynote
speech.
The Vice President focused
on the progress the Obama
Administration has made in
co m b atin g the econom ic
downturn, which he called,
"the great recession," and
declared that the nation would
emerge from this crisis stron­
ger than ever.
Vice President Biden di­
rectly addressed critics who
question the effectiveness of
the Administration's recovery
efforts as unemployment con­
tinues to rise and nears 15 per­
cent among African Americans.
He reminded conference at­
tendees and the nation that six
m onths ago, the n a tio n 's
economy was clearly
sinking, but today,
while we are certainly
not out of the water,
our economic ship is
beginning to right it­
self.
As proof, he pointed to the
slowdown in housing foreclo­
sures, the stabilization of the
financial system and the "relief,
recovery and reinvestm ent"
that is beginning to take hold
as
a
re su lt
of
the
Administration's $787 billion
stim ulus package. All these
signs give us hope that the
worst may be over.
The Vice President explicitly
thanked the N ational Urban
League for reminding the Ad­
ministration early on that while
job creation was our long-term
goal, millions of people in our
cities and across this nation
Evidence for Reform
éitftersiot,K (Sfilar
Heroic Firefighter
As citizens of the Albina community and members of the
Johnson Family Reunion, we would like to express our apprecia­
tion for the excellent training of the Portland Fire and Rescue
Bureau and acknowledge the professional actions of firefighter
Teny Kimmons.
On Sunday, July 19, we were celebrating our reunion and play­
ing a softball game when a family member suffered a stroke and
went into cardiac arrest.
Although several members of our family have had CPR train­
ing, a traumatic incident can become very stressful and chaotic
with so many voices shouting out commands.
Kimmons was off duty at the time, providing music for an event
in another section of the park, but he immediately rushed over to
the situation and took total control. His ability to block his emo­
tions, the shouts of so many others, and focus on administering
CPR until fire and ambulance personnel arrived was amazing.
The emergency responders quickly diagnosed the condition
of our family member and used a defibrillator to obtain a heart
rhythm. They transported him to the nearest hospital.
Our family member is doing well and is expected to make a full
recovery.
We know that Terry Kimmons feels he was just doing what he
was trained to do, but we feel that
Terry is truly a heroic member of
the community who has shown
his professionalism during a per­
sonal and traumatic crisis.
We hope that you too will ac­
knowledge his heroic actions.
SPINACOLUMN
An ongoing series of questions and answers about America’s natural healing profession
Of. Billy R. Flowers
Part 34. Osteoperosis and Bone Loss Reversal
Could my golf swing
hurt my back?
: People whoexercise regu
la rly an d p e rfo rm
stretching and strengthen­
ing exercise are less likely to
injure their backs. Their sup­
porting muscles, such as their
stom ach, ham strings, and
g lu teals are stro n g er and
more flexible from regular
conditioning.
However, people who play
A
golf or racquet sports are more
prone to injuries because of
th e fre q u e n t tw is tin g and
bending motions. And casual
athletes could be more at risk
for injuries as well; depend­
ing on their level of fitness.
his son that daddy had just lost
needed immediate help.
That is why the stimulus plan his job.
Quoting Urban League leg­
included more money to extend
unemployment benefits, to lower end, Whitney M. Young Jr., he
health care costs for people who added, "The hardest work in the
have lost their jobs, to provide world is being out of work."
The Vice President also said
tax relief for individuals and busi­
nesses, to extend food stamp that the Obama Administration
benefits to 30 m illion more is committed to building "a new
people, to keep 20 million people econom y", rooted in green
from falling off the Medicaid rolls jobs, renew able energy, and
and to prevent layoffs of tens of greater investments in health
thousands of teachers, police care and education.
In his customary folksy way,
and firefighters.
Fully one-third of the stimu­ he c a u tio n e d th a t w hile
lus plan has been devoted to progress is being made, more
providing immediate relief for pain may lie ahead. "Less bad
people who are in danger of fall­ is not good," he said, "but less
ing through the deep hole of bad is better than worse."
He concluded by predicting
our troubled economy.
The Vice President spoke that with continued improve­
passionately and personally ments in the gross dom estic
about, not only the loss of in­ product, we could be out of the
come, but the loss of dignity recession by the last quarter of
resulting from being out of this year.
We hope he's right.
work. He recalled the day his
Marc
H. Moriai is president
own father took what he called
and
chief
executive officer o f
the longest walk in the world
up a short flight of stairs to tell the National Urban League.
Most injuries of these types
respond w ell to con serv a­
tive chiropractic treatments.
A c h iro p ra c to r can show
you how to prevent these in­
juries with proper condition­
ing and technique.
Flowers* Chiropractic Office
2124 N.E, Hancock Street, Portland Oregon97212
Phone: (503) 287-3304
Eddie Barnett, Jeanette Curry,
Rhonda K. Taylor and Salina
Taylor
Several prominent Republicans have argued that the U.S.
health care system needs no reform. However, non-partisan
studies suggest otherwise.
According to a 2007 study by the independent Common­
wealth Fund, significantly more Americans want their health
system “completely rebuilt,” compared to respondents in six
other major industrialized countries with universal health in­
surance. Americans were also most likely to report not receiv­
ing care when needed, because of costs.
As further evidence for reform, the study found that per
capita health care costs in the U. S. are higher than all of the
other major industrialized countries surveyed— twice as ex­
pensive, in fact, as the 2nd highest country. Yet despite exor­
bitant costs, a report from the World Health Organization found
that the U.S. health care system ranked 37th in performance,
far below all other industrialized nations.
President Obama should be applauded for his proposals to
expand access to health insurance coverage for all Americans
while at the same time reducing costs.
Rather than proposing a “government take over”of health
care, Obama’s plan advocates for the further adoption suc­
cessful practices already in place in the current health care
system.
Obama argues for the further adoption of health care cur­
rently delivered in two not-for-profit health care systems in
the U.S; Intermountain Health Care and Kaiser Permanente.
These organizations provide high-quality care that is below
national cost averages by delivering care that is based on
scientific-evidence that rewards and encourages preventive
care.
The further adoption of these practices on a national level
can meet both goals of health reform: expanded insurance cov­
erage and cost containment.
David Mosen
Southeast Portland
I 503-288-0033
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